By Oluwabukunmi
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, saying he would “continue to contest for president on social media but never as President of Nigeria.”
Wike made the remark on Thursday during the inauguration of newly constructed roads in the Mabushi District of Abuja, reacting to Obi’s recent criticism of public school conditions in the FCT.
Obi, during a visit to LEA Primary School, Kapwa, on Wednesday, had described the poor state of the facility as “a national disgrace,” lamenting the absence of chairs, toilets, and basic classroom infrastructure. He blamed the decay on government neglect and misplaced priorities.
But responding, Wike accused the former Anambra State governor of politicising every issue for social media attention rather than offering constructive solutions.
“I hear that one of the social media presidential candidates went to a Local Education Authority school, saying the government has abandoned public schools. His name is Mr Peter Obi. It is not everything you must play politics with,” Wike said.
The minister criticised Obi’s record as Anambra State governor, alleging that he failed to complete critical projects during his tenure and had no moral authority to question others on governance.
“Peter Obi, you were governor for eight years in Anambra State. If you had finished all the jobs within that period, nobody would be talking about developing Anambra by now. Why did you have problems with your successor?” Wike asked.
He went further to compare his two-year record as FCT minister with Obi’s eight-year tenure in Anambra, claiming that his administration had achieved more in a shorter time.
“We have not even completed four years in office. You served eight years. Compare what we have done in the FCT in two years to what you did in eight years in Anambra. Can you really say you love Nigeria or Ndi Anambra? Certainly not,” Wike added.
The FCT minister also dismissed Obi’s political credibility, saying the Labour Party candidate lacked the leadership capacity to manage even a political party, let alone a country of over 200 million people.
“You will continue to contest as President on social media but not as President of Nigeria. You ran under a party you could not even manage. How can you manage a country? Ordinary party, you couldn’t hold it together,” Wike said.
Wike’s remarks have since sparked reactions across political circles, with some accusing the minister of using public platforms for political attacks, while others defended his comments as part of democratic accountability.
